The Virginia Lottery player took his ticket home from Sheetz and soon discovered the confusing letters spelled out a top-prize win
LYNCHBURG, VA – A Bedford County man scratching a Virginia Lottery ticket at home initially wasn’t sure what the letters staring back at him meant, but the confusion quickly disappeared when he realized his Sheetz purchase had delivered a $1 million top prize.
The anonymous winner purchased the In the Money scratch-off at the Sheetz located at 2630 Lakeside Drive in Lynchburg.
He took the ticket home before scratching it.
According to the Virginia Lottery, the man initially did not understand the letters revealed on the ticket.
He soon determined that they indicated he had won the game’s $1 million top prize.
The Bedford County resident chose to remain anonymous, an option available to Virginia Lottery winners under state law.
He was given a choice between receiving the full $1 million prize over 30 years or taking a one-time cash payment of $476,000 before taxes.
The winner selected the $476,000 cash option.
In the Money offers prizes ranging from $50 to $1 million.
The Bedford County man became the second player to claim one of the game’s $1 million top prizes, leaving one more top prize unclaimed.
The odds of winning the $1 million prize are 1 in 408,000, while the overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 3.5.
The winning ticket was purchased in Lynchburg, which received more than $8.8 million in Virginia Lottery funding for K-12 education during the last fiscal year.
The Virginia Lottery reported generating more than $914 million for K-12 education statewide during fiscal year 2026.
Key Points
- A Bedford County man bought an In the Money scratch-off at a Lynchburg Sheetz and took it home to scratch.
- He initially did not understand the letters revealed on the ticket before realizing he had won the $1 million top prize.
- The anonymous winner chose a one-time cash option of $476,000 before taxes, and one $1 million top prize remains in the game.